One of my all-time favorite horror films is the 1982 John Carpenter directed movie,The Thing. As far as horror movies go, this one stands the test of time very well and has some of the best practical effects of any movie to come out of the 80s, which makes it surprising that Hollywood has taken this long to follow up on (butcher?) such a great movie.

In just a little under a month, there will be a new The Thing movie in theaters, but this one is a prequel and will focus on the story of the Norwegian team at the start of John Carpenter’s movie. If you haven’t seen it, I won’t ruin it for you but I highly recommend you check this movie out if you’re a horror fan.

With the upcoming prequel movie nearing release, NEVERDIE Studios is the next developer to bring the movie's universe into the gaming realm and looks to take The Thing horror to the massive level. Today the developer announced the official launch of Hunt The Thing, a new MMOG developed with CryEngine 2 and based on the upcoming prequel movie.

Hunt The Thing is described as a "movie-length" MMOG and exists within NEVERDIE Studios’ developed ROCKtropia Virtual World and will allow players to explore the mysteries in Antarctica surrounding the Thule research team that discovered the Thing at the beginning of the first movie and the events that followed.

Visit the official website to play the game and follow along after the break for new screenshots and the official press release. The new prequel movie is set to hit theaters on October 14th, but in the meantime, check out the game and see the John Carpenter movie. Trust me when I say it’s worth the watch if you're a fan of the horror genre.

LOS ANGELES, CA, September 22, 2011—NEVERDIE Studios, creators of the ROCKtropia Virtual World, a sophisticated, next-gen, cash prize--based game world with mythology drawn from pop culture, today announced the release of Hunt The THING. This new movie-length massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) event is inspired by Universal Pictures’ upcoming thriller The Thing, which opens in theatres nationwide on October 14, 2011. The game was developed through a licensing agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing.

Hunt The THING exists as an experience within NEVERDIE Studios’ ROCKtropia, a vibrant, digital hangout where players can socialize and congregate with millions of other players worldwide. Players can go on missions; win coveted virtual prizes with high cash values; buy, sell and trade virtual goods in a $100 million-plus marketplace; listen to live music; play games; and even travel through space to other MMOGs. Additionally, Hunt The THING will be featured at ROCKtropia’s Hyperplex movie theater. Once players enter the theater, they will be transported to the Antarctic, and their Hunt The Thing adventure will begin.

Hunt The THING will allow fans to immerse themselves into the terrifying world of The Thing just before the new film arrives to tell the story of what exactly happened at the doomed Thule international research station in Antarctica. After downloading the free-to-play MMOG Hunt The THING, fans will be immediately thrust into a virtual Antarctic world where they are tasked with uncovering the mystery and ultimately hunting down The Thing. Whether they choose to play as a scientist or soldier, each of whom possess unique skill sets and upgrade paths, players will need to explore abandoned bases, decipher clues, take blood samples, secure gear, gather weapons, fight friends and enemies alike, and survive the many dangers presented by the world’s most inhospitable and uninhabitable continent.

“Hunt The THING is truly the first massively multiplayer game experience of its kind,” said Jon “NEVERDIE” Jacobs. “It brings together the depth of the classic MMORPG and the edge-of-your-seat excitement of the new feature film The Thing for a true movie-length MMOG that you can experience quickly, but also enjoy for extended periods of time.”

Hunt The THING will offer players numerous opportunities to win exclusive and highly collectible in-game virtual prizes. These include a collector’s edition flame thrower; a variety of automatic weapons and Antarctic survival gear; and, for those who are skilled enough to defeat The Thing,a combat helicopter that allows players to continue their adventures after the film is released on October 14. Players who complete the final Hunt The THING mission may enter expert mode for an opportunity to win even more valuable prizes.

Powered by the award-winning CryEngine 2, Hunt The THING will present players with an incredibly harsh environment alongside a mesmerizing storyline that weaves together elements from John Carpenter’s 1982 feature film, the upcoming companion piece and the previously released The Thing game. Hunt The THING takes place within NEVERDIE Studios’ ROCKtropia Virtual World, which allows players to utilize the same avatar within multiple game spaces and carry over friends, skills and gear from game to game.

Hunt the THING is now available for PC download at www.HuntTheThing.com. There are no fees or subscriptions required. Fans of The Thing can download the game and immediately embark upon their mission to hunt down and destroy one of the most terrifying movie monsters ever conceived!

About The Thing:
Antarctica: an extraordinary continent of awesome beauty. It is also home to an isolated outpost where a discovery full of scientific possibility becomes a mission of survival when a creature is unearthed by a crew of international scientists. In the thriller The Thing, paranoia spreads among a group of researchers as they encounter something inhuman that has the ability to turn itself into an exact replica of any living being.

The Thing serves as a prelude to John Carpenter’s classic 1982 film of the same name. Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen, the thriller is produced by Strike Entertainment’s Marc Abraham and Eric Newman (Dawn of the Dead). www.thethingmovie.net.

About NEVERDIE Studios
NEVERDIE Studios was founded by legendary Avatar Jon “NEVERDIE” Jacobs. The Studios’ main focus is expanding the frontiers of pop culture into virtual reality. NEVERDIE Studios is the developer of the ROCKtropia Virtual World, a richly detailed alternate reality with mythology drawn from pop culture. ROCKtropia’s wild landscapes and urban centers provide the backdrop for movie inspired MMOG ’s and Iconic artist attractions. ROCKtropia is free-to-play and features micro transactions.

About Universal Partnerships & Licensing
UP&L oversees Universal’s consumer product licensing, film and home entertainment promotions, and all corporate alliances for Universal’s theatrical, home entertainment, theme parks and stage productions. This dedicated division is also responsible for monetizing the Studio’s vast library of films and characters through licensing, branding and marketing opportunities. UP&L is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

About The Author

Stacy "Martuk" Jones was a long-time news editor and community manager for many of our previous game sites, such as Age of Conan. Stacy has since moved on to become a masked super hero, battling demons in another dimension.